Couch.



R. C. ODELL.

ooUoH.

APPLICATION FILED JAN.12, 1909.

Patented June 2, 1914.

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N I 'EED STATES PATE Nil.qv OFRECE. I.

ROBERT G. ODELL, OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, ASSIGNOR T0 NEWARK SPRING- MATTRESS CO., OF NEWARK, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW ERSEY.

COUCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patenten June 2, i914..

To all whom 'it' may concern.'

Be it known that I, ROBERT C. O DELL, a citizen of the United Statesof America, and a resident of Newark, county of Essex, and State of NewJersey, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Couches, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part thereof. u

My invention relates to improvements in couches, and particularly to convertible couches which are adapted to fold up and form a single width couch, and to open out t0 form a full width bed.

The main objects of my invention are to simplify the operation by which the device is converted from a couch into a bed and vice versa, so that the operation may be accomplished with a minimum expenditure of time and effort, to simplify the structure so that it will be inexpensive to manufacture, and to improve the construction whereby the parts will be light yet extremely rigid.

To these ends, my invention consists in certain novel details of construction and combinations of parts, such as will be fully pointed out hereinafter, and. in order that my invention may be thoroughly understood, I will proceed to describe an embodiment thereof, having reference to the accompany ing drawings illustra-ting thesanie, and will then point out the novel features in claims.v

In the drawings: Figure 1 Vis a view in front elevation of a couch constituting an embodiment of my invention. Fig. 2 is an end view of the same. Fig. 3 is an end view showing the device as vconverted from a couch into a bed.

The couch comprises in general two elements 5 and 6 each constituting a self-contained rigid frame-work, a spring and a mattress. The element 5 is composed of two end frames each having a horizontal member 7, and two upright members or legs 8. These two end frames are secured together by lo'ngitudinal bars 9 which are secured to the legs of opposite frames, struts 10 being preferably employed to brace the structure. rlhe frames are further connected together by means of a horizontally disposed mattress tween the horizontal members 7 of the end frames, and connecting tension wires 12 are connected with the legs 8 of opposite'frame members upon the opposite side ofthe' connecting'bars 9, being employed to balance the tension of the spring 11. This structure constitutes a light, yet rigid one as willbe well understood. The element 6 comprises two end frames each having a horizontal member 13 and an upright member or leg 14, the n vlegs 14C of the two frames being connected together by means of a horizontal bar, struts,

and a tension wire similar to those just described for connectingthe legs of theelement 5, while the opposite or rear ends of the horizontal members 13 are connected together by means of a rigid bar 15 which is secured to the said members by brackets 16.-

A. mattress supporting spring 17 yis stretched horizontally between the members 13( The two elements 5 and 6 are movably connected together by means vof levers 18, the said levers being fulcrumed at 19 upon brackets 2O which are secured to the horizontal members 7 of the end frames of the element 5, and pivotally connected at 21 to the horizontal frame members 13 of the element l6. The levers 18 are preferably extended upon opposite sides of their fulcrunis so that they may be connected by a longitudinal element 22 whereby uniformity of movement of the two levers is insured; vcounterbalancing weights 23 may also conveniently be supported upon the said horizontal connecting element 22. The frame members of the element 6 are provided with horizontal tracks 2&1 which are each securedat one end to aV leg 14, and at the otheren'd to a horizontal member 13. These tracks are disposed at such a distance from the horizontal elements 13 of the frame members of the element that when they rest upon the vhorizontal member 7 of the end frames of the element 5,

v they will support the element-6 upon the element 5 at a proper distance thereabove. This distance is just sufficient to cause the bar 15 to clear the mattress 25 which is carried by the spring 11 of the element 5 both when the element 6 is in the position in supporting spring 11 whichis stretched be- Y which it is shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, and in the various positions it assumes while the element is being moved between the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2 and the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3.

The conversion of the couch into a bed may be readily made by grasping one of the handles 26 with which the element 6 is provided, and slightly lifting the said element 6, the same being caused by means of the lever connection 18 to then move in a circular path until gradually the member 6 will drop down into a position substantially in line with the element 5. Antifriction rollers 27 are preferably provided at the front ends of the horizontal members 7 of the end frames of the element 5 upon which the tracks 24 may roll, and the said antifriction rollers will further assist the carrying of the element 5 back from the position in which it is shown in Fig. 3 to the position in which it is shown in Fig. 2, or in other words in converting the device from a bed to a couch. I have shown an intermediate position of the two elements in dotted lines in Fig. 3, wherein the tracks 24 are shown as just engaging the antifriction rollers 27.

When the couch is opened out into the bed form as shown in Fig. 3, the rear end of the elements 13 will rest upon the front ends of the elements 7 or upon the said antifriction rollers 27, all as is clearly illustrated in Fig. 3. In this position, the two springs 11 and 17 of the members 5 and 6 will be substantially upon the same plane. This will cause the bed top to be substantially level throughout as is most desirable. The elements 5 and 6 are each provided with an independent mattress, the element 6 carrying a mattress 28, while the element 5 carries the mattress 25 already referred to. These mattresses may be conveniently secured in place upon the springs by being tied thereto, for the reason that it is never necessary, in the operation of the device, to change the relative position of the mattress upon their supports. It will thus be seen that to operate the device, it is only necessary to manipulate the handle 26. The counterbalancing weights 23 balance the weight of the moving part so that there will be but little resistance thereto so that it will be readily understood that the ccnversion of the couch to a bed or vice versa is an extremely simple and easy operation.

lVhat I claim is:

1. A convertible couch comprising two elements, one being stationary and the other mounted to swing bodily into position vertically and into horizontally parallel relation with respect to the stationary element, and each element including a pair of connected end frames, links pivotally connecting the said end frames of the stationary and relatively movable element together to secure the relative swinging movement thereof, and a stationary runner carried by one of said elements and engaging the other for guiding said elements in their relative movements and for supporting the uppermost element in relatively raised position when swung into superposed relation with respect to the stationary member.

2. A convertible couch comprising two elements each including a pair of connected end frames and a woven fabric supported under tension between the said frames,

Ilinks connecting the said end frames toggetheig runners carried by the end frames of one of the said elements and having portions parallel with the plane of the fabric supported thereby, and antifriction rollers carried by the end frames of the other said element at one edge thereof for engagement with the said runners, the said runners and rollers adapted in their coengagement to act in conjunction with the links to guide the movements of one of the said elements with respect to the other.

3. In a convertible couch the combination with a main supporting element comprising a pair of rigidly connected end frames, each end frame including a horizontal member and two upright members or legs, of a relatively movable element comprising a pair of end frames, each including a horizontal member and one upright member or leg, longitudinal means for rigidly connecting the two said legs together, and a longitudinal bar extending below the opposite ends of the frame for rigidly connecting the frames together at such point; links pivotally connected at their opposite ends to the said frames, and runners secured to the end frames of the said movable element and adapted to engage the end frames of the stationary element, said runners adapted to guide the said movable element over the said main supporting element and to support the former upon the latter at a sufficient distance thereabove for the said longitudinal bar to clear the lower element while being supported thereabove.

4. A bed, comprising two sections, one of which is movable from a position alongside the other and in close proximity thereto to a position above the same, said movable section having on its under side members adapted to contact with portions of the fixed section and serving to so space the top of the fixed section from the bottom of the movable section as to form an open boxlike stowage space therebetween.

5. A bed comprising, two connected sections, one of which is movable from a position alongside the other to a position above the same, said movable section having fixed legs on the under side adapted to Contact With portions of the xed section and servof the top frame of said movable section in :ifng to o lsgpace theftop of thebfixed section both positions of the said movable section.

rom t e ottom o the Inova e section as to Jform an open box-like stowage space ROBERT C' ODELL therebetween each bed section having a Witnesses: mattress-supporting fabric and the fabric D. HOWARD HAYWooD, of movable section being on the upper side LYMAN S. ANDREWS, J r.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C. 

